Quarterback Sam Darnold has been one of the NFL’s best stories in the early weeks of the 2024 season. That continued on Sunday, as he led the now 4-0 Minnesota Vikings to a 31-29 win over the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. In the process, he proved one of his naysayers wrong, at least temporarily.
During Week 4’s ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown, the game between the Vikings was discussed. After discussing the return of Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love, the conversation shifted to Darnold, Minnesota’s quarterback. When it did, Tedy Bruschi made it clear that he was not a believer in Darnold’s early success this season.
“Let me go to the other side over here and talk about all this Sam Darnold love,” Bruschi said. “Let me give you some truth right here, OK? It’s only a matter of time. It’s only a matter of time. Quarterbacks, yeah, you talk about organizational development, now he’s got a coach. Defenders know who this guy is. It’s gonna come. This is a Cyndi Lauper true colors game.”
After briefly singing Lauper’s 1986 hit, Bruschi continued.
“It’s only a matter of time with this guy.”
In a prediction that is not aging well, Tedy Bruschi predicted that this would be Sam Darnold’s “True Colors game,” even singing a few notes of Cyndi Lauper’s song of the same name. https://t.co/ardDRuFXf8 pic.twitter.com/ckzNE5m5ya
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 29, 2024
“That’s what I’m saying. It’s only a matter of time with this guy. The decisions that he makes, giving you the ball, throwing it into team meetings. He doesn’t feel pressure? I don’t think he feels pressure because he doesn’t care. He’s just gonna throw it up no matter what pressure’s there. I think that is still in Sam Darnold and we could see it today.”
Alex Smith, who, like Darnold, struggled early in his career before turning things around while playing for better run teams, defended Darnold.
“I disagree with you completely,” Smith said. “I think we see the other way. I think this guy continues to trend. I think those bad plays that we’ve seen continue to come less and less. I think this guys in an unbelievable situation. By the way, if there was another coach of the year, it’s Kevin O’Connell. I think Sam Darnold is taking off. He’s unbelievably talented. He’s finally in a good place.”
“He’s done it for three weeks,” Bruschi said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
To be fair to Bruschi, Darnold did struggle some in the second half, as he threw one interception and lost another fumble. That helped the Packers, who trailed 28-0 in the second quarter, get back into the game.
Still, Darnold had a great overall day, going 20-for-28, passing for 275 yards with three touchdowns and just the one interception.
So, at least as far as Week 4 is concerned, Smith won the argument.
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